In the world of ladies bicycle fashion there are two main groups: those who prefer cruiser and hybrid bikes, who like to wear their normal everyday clothes for riding, whether that’s a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, or summer dresses and a big old hat! Then there are the ones who are into the sports cycling scene and like to get all the proper gear, like tight cycling shorts and jerseys. Whichever style you choose, there are loads of tips and ideas for getting that velo chic look. And your choice never needs to be a permanent arrangement; you can get prepared for both, according to your mood – but it’s probably best not to mix and match. A wide-brimmed summer hat might draw attention in a bad way if mixed with skintight racing lycra!
Fashion for Traditional Ladies Bicycles
So for those of you who love the “ladies bicycle with basket” idea, sitting upright and taking it easy and elegantly, here are some tips. First, make sure your bike is fit to ride with the outfit you have chosen. Many of the traditional vintage ladies bicycles have mudguards on the wheels and importantly also have a chainguard – the last thing you need is for your floaty dress to get snagged up in the chain, and either lose your dignity or ruin the dress! Having a chainguard is also a great idea even if you are a jeans kind of a girl, because you’ll prefer not to see them get covered in filthy oil, which can be a real hassle to wash out.
As for the passing comment about losing your dignity, do remember that if you like to ride wearing a cool, light summer dress, it is very easy to get caught out by that freak gust of wind that leaves you looking like a two-wheeled Marilyn Monroe with your hems flapping around your shoulders! That’s not velo chic, by the way. A couple of solutions to avoid this kind of embarrassment: number one, consider taking a safety pin with you wherever you go. Then when you decide to get on your bike, simply pin the front of your dress to the back, between your knees, to create a temporary cycling shorts kind of arrangement. This will stop your floaty dress from floating away. Number two, take some proper cycling shorts with you, so you can slip them on under your dress before pedalling into the breeze. Okay, in this case you can mix and match your styles.
On a safety note, be very careful if you are going to venture out in hot weather and feel like wearing a hat rather than bike helmet. Definitely avoid main roads and keep to the cycle paths – but really, it is always better to protect your head with a proper safety helmet. There is a company called Yakkay which makes wonderful bicycle helmets that are real safety hats but have stylish outer coverings which fit over the top. What a great idea! The four styles they sell are the Tokyo, Luzern, Cambridge and Paris, which come in a variety of colors and patterns and have won international design awards. Excellent for safety and for looking chic. At the moment they are sold in Europe and Japan, and perhaps their success will see them enter the US market sooner rather than later.
Fashion for Sporty Ladies Bicycles
The outfits for women who ride ladies road bicycles for speed are similar to those worn by the men. Often however, the tops will be tailored especially for the female physique and you can have any color – as long as it’s pink! Actually there are loads of colors and designs available – a good company to check out for cycling wear – and also spinning, yoga and gym clothing – is Trashy Cat. They have some cute stuff, and to be fair, baby pink is a great color for staying visible on the roads. Tight cycling shorts are a good idea, to accompany a cycle jersey. There is a whole array of legwear for women riders, from the various lengths of shorts, to cycling tights and pants in various styles. Pearl Izumi do a range of various cycling pants, and the capri pants are a great idea as they are excellent for riding – as they should be – but also look very stylish, so you can keep them on, rather than changing, when visiting restaurants and other places, during long cycle tours.
And if you really want to look the part you can also opt for a flashy bike helmet and fingerless cycling gloves. The sky’s the limit really, with specialist items such as ladies cycling shoes, and socks, and underwear, and sunglasses and racing caps. Be very careful, though, as you might run the risk of spending more on your outfit than you spent on your ladies bicycle! But hey! You’ll be velo chic though, right?
